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Sellafield’s robot dogs on the cutting edge of nuclear clean-ups

Sellafield specialists are continuing to push the envelope in developing and using innovative technologies for safe nuclear clean-up operations.

Sellafield’s robot dogs on the cutting edge of nuclear clean-ups
(Spot the dog with the LiDAR scanner. Image credit: Sellafield)

Decommissioning specialists at the UK’s Sellafield site are continuing to push the envelope in developing and using innovative technologies for safe nuclear clean-up operations.

The use of robots is increasingly commonplace, and according to Sellafield, they recently became the first to use a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) laser scanning device on remote-operated vehicles (ROV) in a high radiation environment.

This allowed the robot to navigate and build a 3D image of the hazardous area removing the need for humans to enter.

Calvin Smye, ROV equipment engineer, Sellafield Ltd said: “Everything we are using is off the shelf but by adding different payloads, like a LiDAR sensor and a radiation monitor, we are adapting them to deliver for our business.

“Since the introduction of this technology we’ve really been at the forefront of testing it and adjusting it to our needs…”

Spot in the spotlight

The robot fitted with LiDAR was indeed Spot the robot dog, a regular fixture at many Sellafield jobs and inspections.

From left to right: Lawrence King, Calvin Smye, Callum Taylor and Deon Bulman from Sellafield Ltd

Spot’s capabilities were shared recently during a live demonstration at Calder Hall, a building constructed in the 1950s where asbestos is a known hazard.

AtkinsRéalis recently utilized Spot to conduct an inspection to map how best to conduct clean-up operations. The inspection was live-streamed via Spot’s on-board camera.

According to Sellafield, these robots are now being used across other Nuclear Decommissioning Authority sites in the UK.

Also, the team is using IPEK crawler robots to inspect sewer pipes and exploring the use of ROVs to detect potentially dangerous gases in work areas before humans are sent in.

Deon Bulman, ROV equipment program lead, Sellafield Ltd said: “The adoption of new technology is progressing at pace at Sellafield as people start to see the benefits…If we can do one task that removes the need for a person to enter a hazardous area, that’s a win.”

Added Rav Chunilal, head of robotics and artificial intelligence at Sellafield Ltd: “These cutting-edge robots allow us to access dangerous and challenging areas remotely, removing humans from harm’s way and saving time and costs for maintenance and inspections.”

According to the National Nuclear Laboratory, Sellafield has been home to nuclear materials in one form or another since 1947. The site was part of the British nuclear weapons program and then became home to four nuclear reactors for the purpose of generating nuclear energy.

Now, after more than half a century of nuclear activity, the site is being decommissioned.

Originally published by Pamela Largue in Power Engineering International.